Marine Mammal Science, Vol. 16, No. 3, 2000, 664-676 Measuring sizes of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) by underwater videogrammetry (2000) - Scott S.Spitz and Louis M.Herman,
- Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory and Department of Psychology, University of Hawai'i.
- Adam A.Pack,
- Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Laboratory, and The Dolphin Institute.
(C) 2000 by the Society for Marine Mammology
Measurements of body sizes of living humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) can aid significantly in the understanding of important aspects of their biology and behavior, such as age-related demographics of the population, social organization, reproductive behaviors and strategies, and calf growth rates. We report here on a new inexpensive technique we call underwater videogrammetry for measuring sizes of whales that, at the same time, offers opportunities for gathering data on individual identification, behavior, social role, and sex. We demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the technique by measuring objects of known size. We also provide size data on female humpback whales ("mothers") accompanied by their calf, and on male whales acting as single escorts to mother-calf pairs (Herman and Antinoja 1977). We obtained both data sets during the annual winter assembly of humpback whales in Hawaiian waters. -
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Spitz, S.S., Herman, L.M., & Pack, A.A. (2000). Measuring sizes of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) by underwater videogrammetry. Marine Mammal Science, 16, 664-676.
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